


Choupinette

by naasad



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Feels, Fluff, M/M, Pet Adoption, Puppies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-28
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-07-03 16:56:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15823104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naasad/pseuds/naasad
Summary: Enjolras fosters a puppy.





	Choupinette

**Author's Note:**

> Choupinette is the French equivalent of Sweetheart.
> 
> Société Centrale Canine or SCC is like the French version of the Kennel Club. I couldn't find the Toy Fox Terrier on there, though, so I figured Enjolras, an experienced researcher, would jog over to the AKC website real quick then back to the SCC when he found out what breeds she came from.
> 
> Also, please go look up baby Ameritoys, the only thing cuter is baby beagles.

Enjolras dashed into the Musain a little faster than usual, arms full of books, shutting the door to the backroom behind him after glancing around to make sure that no one was watching.

"What are you sneaking around for?"

Enjolras jumped, putting a protective hand over his backpack as it... whined?

Grantaire raised an eyebrow.

Enjolras scowled at him and set his bag down as gently as possible next to his usual spot, shushing whatever was inside as he laid his papers and books on the table.

"Is it a wild animal?" Grantaire finally asked, unable to bear the silence anymore.

Enjolras glared at him. "No."

"Are you going to tell me later?"

"Yes!" Enjolras said, almost sounding offended.

Grantaire smoothed a hand down his boyfriend's arm. "Okay, good." He walked back to his usual spot in the far corner, basking in the suddenly awkward silence.

Not soon enough, the others filed in.

"What's on the docket for today?" Combeferre asked Enjolras, over in the corner where they did their planning.

"The food bank drive, right?" Courfeyrac leaned over to glance at the schedule.

"Actually," Enjolras said, "I was thinking we could talk about the local animal shelter. They're extremely low on both funding and space, and-"

"Oh my god!" Grantaire stood, pointing. "That's totally what's in your bag!"

"What are we talking about?" Joly asked.

"That's not-" Enjolras was cut off by his bag whining again. He rushed over to it, hushing and cooing as he fished out the smallest puppy anyone in the room had ever seen. He pressed a kiss to its head and rooted around in the front pocket for a moment before emerging triumphant with a bottle of milk.

"Awww," Courfeyrac cooed.

Enjolras scowled at him, cradling the puppy as it fed. "Emergency foster. She's only three weeks old, and I'm certified, so," he glared around the room, daring anyone to say anything, "can we get on with the meeting?"

He carried on like that throughout his speeches, pacing the room with the puppy cradled close to his chest, occasionally pausing to shush her and kiss her.

Grantaire found it excruciatingly, distractingly cute.

"Any questions?" he asked when he was finished, two hours later.

Courfeyrac raised his hand. "What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one," Enjolras said. "I'm giving her back as soon as they have room again."

Courfeyrac snorted. "Sure she is. What do you call her, then?"

"Puppy," Enjolras said, deadpan.

Grantaire stood. "False. I distinctly heard you call her Choupinette at least three times."

"Grantaire, please, sit down," Enjolras said, in a tone that brooked no argument.

The puppy whined, immediately diverting his attention.

Jehan floated to the front of the room and held out their hand for her to sniff. "Persephone," they suggested.

"Sunshine!" Courfeyrac cheered.

Combeferre shook his head. "Molly."

"Kismet!"

"Babydoll!"

"Tiny!"

"Honey!"

"Penny!"

"Phoebe!"

"Lola!"

"Millie!"

"Princess!"

Enjolras turned furious. "I'm _not_ keeping her. I'm _not_ naming her. And even if I _was_ naming her, I would **_not_** be naming her _Princess_ , **_Marius_**."

"Artemis," Grantaire called.

Enjolras huffed. "I'm not Apollo. Any other questions?"

Hands went up around the room.

"Any other questions not related to the dog?"

Every single hand went down.

"Good." Enjolras slowly packed up his things, zipping the puppy into his hoodie. "I'll see you all next week." And with that, he ran out of the room.

Grantaire smiled and stayed back to drink and talk.

He got home hours later, walking in the door to find Air Buddies playing on the TV and Enjolras passed out on the couch, the puppy buried into his chest.

He laughed softly and draped a blanket over them both, making sure the puppy could breathe.

Enjolras sighed in his sleep.

Grantaire leaned down and kissed him chastely before disappearing to their room. He got himself comfortable, then stared at the ceiling, scheming.

The next six weeks passed in almost a blur, filled with Enjolras and puppy adorableness, which in Grantaire's biased opinion, was the most adorable kind of adorableness.

Enjolras took her on walks, one time when it was raining, he caught him teaching her how to jump in puddles - she got a thorough bath after that. He read to her as she fell asleep, starting with very harsh critiques of children's books and moving on to his own favorites.

"Careful," Grantaire said, sneaking up behind him for a kiss. "Soon, we'll have the most educated dog in France."

"She's not our dog," Enjolras pointed out, scratching her gently behind the ears.

He took her to more meetings, where she nearly became the mascot.

"I'm taking her back," he kept reminding everyone.

"Sure you are," Courfeyrac said, every time.

Eventually, Grantaire woke one night to voices in the living room one night and he crept out of the bedroom to see Enjolras on the Société Centrale Canine website, pointing things out to the puppy.

"See?" he murmured. "You come from a very noble breed. It's a shame people had to fuck that up, but I love you all the same. I'll have to take a look at these Tintin books," he muttered to himself.

Grantaire sighed and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend from behind, burying his nose in his warm neck.

Enjolras reached up and tangled his fingers in his curls.

"What are you doing?" Grantaire asked.

Enjolras sighed heavily. "She's two months old now, so I got her a DNA test for her birthday. She's a purebred Ameritoy, or Toy Fox Terrier. I had to look it up on the American Kennel Club."

"Oh?" Grantaire asked.

"Yes, they took the Fox Terrier and bred it with dachshunds and such for size until they got her this small." Enjolras smiled and rubbed her behind the ears. "Ameritoys are apparently one of the best dogs for apartments. A little on the energetic side, but with enough exercise, very tame. She'll find a good home."

Grantaire hummed. "She sounds perfect for us."

Enjolras' face fell.

"You don't have to give her back, you know."

Enjolras sniffed. "I know."

Grantaire kissed him. "Just think about it okay?" He stood and stretched. "Are you coming to bed?"

Enjolras looked down at the sleeping pup. "In a bit," he said, softly.

Grantaire kissed the top of his head and went back to sleep. He woke half-way when Enjolras finally crawled into bed and rolled over to wrap an arm around him, nuzzling close.

The next morning, Enjolras hummed as he made breakfast.

Grantaire grinned when he saw him. "Make a decision?"

"Yes." Enjolras pranced over and kissed him. "Have a seat, breakfast will be ready in a bit."

Only a few minutes later, the phone rang, and Enjolras practically dived for it. "Allo?" he asked, beaming. He turned to Grantaire and mouthed 'It's the shelter' before turning back to the phone. In the space of a few seconds, he went from elated to crushed, seemingly deflated. "Oh," he said. "I see. No, I understand. I'll bring her tomorrow. No, that's okay. Thank you. Au revoir."

"What's wrong?" Grantaire asked.

Enjolras reached over and removed all the pans from the heat, dishing up two plates.

"Hey." Grantaire carefully took away the spatula. "What happened?"

Enjolras shrugged and sniffed. "Someone else already asked for her."

"Oh." Grantaire tugged him close, holding him tight. "I'm sorry."

Enjolras shook, trying not to cry. "This is why I didn't want to get attached. But then I did, and-" He broke off into a sob.

Grantaire just held him, rubbing circles between his shoulders. "I've got you. Do you know who got her?"

Enjolras shook his head. "They didn't say. And, frankly, I don't want to know. I trust them to give her a good home. That's enough."

Grantaire kissed his forehead, cupping the back of his neck.

Suddenly, Enjolras tore himself away. "I need to pack up her things," he said, running a hand down his face. "I have to take her down tomorrow morning. Her owner is coming in the afternoon."

"Eat first?" Grantaire asked.

Enjolras shook his head. "I'm not hungry anymore." He disappeared into the next room.

Once he was out of sight, Grantaire discretely checked his own phone. He grinned and pumped his fist into the air in victory. He glanced at Enjolras, then at his phone, then shook his head and put it away.

Enjolras slept on the couch that night, cradling the puppy to his chest.

Grantaire sighed and draped the blanket over them both again, pressing a kiss to each of their foreheads. "It'll be okay," he murmured.

Enjolras was gone by the time he woke up, and he returned puppy-less and devastated.

Grantaire wrapped him in his arms and they cuddled on the couch for a good portion of the day.

"Hey," Grantaire said after a while. "I have something I have to do tonight. I won't be able to go to the meeting, but I'll be back by the time you get home."

"Oh," Enjolras said, "but I-" He bit his lip.

Grantaire could hear the unspoken 'I need you'. "I'm sorry," he said, kissing him. "I can't cancel it."

Enjolras nodded. "I understand," he said, then lapsed into silence - not a good silence, either.

Grantaire held him close until he had to leave.

Only a few hours later, he was in the park when Courfeyrac texted him.

 **[Fey]:** _what did u do 2 e?_  
**[Fey]:** _he's so far off his game_

Grantaire shook his head and replied as quickly as possible.

 **[R]:** _he had to take puppy back today_  
**[Fey]:** _oooh_  
**[Fey]:** _that explains it_  
**[Fey]:** _he's moping, what do u want me 2 do?_

Grantaire smiled and waited until he had walked in the door to reply.

 **[R]:** _go ahead an send him home_  
**[Fey]:** _done_

Grantaire set his bags down on the living room floor and went about setting things up for Enjolras' return.

The Musain was only about a fifteen minute walk away, but Enjolras must've taken the long route, because he didn't arrive until nearly an hour later. "Oh," he said as he walked in the door. "You're home."

"Yeah," Grantaire said, not moving from his spot on the floor. "Courfeyrac texted me."

Enjolras nodded slowly, then did a double take at the state of the living room. "Grantaire, what-"

Grantaire let go of the wriggling puppy and with a series of yips, she charged for her favorite human.

Enjolras scooped her off the floor in wonder, eyes glistening.

Grantaire laughed and stood.

"How?" Enjolras asked. "How did you convince her new owner-" He stopped and glared. "You're the new owner."

Grantaire raised his hands defensively. "I was going to tell you yesterday and offer to step aside, but I didn't know if someone else would come in and scoop her up. I honestly didn't think to tell you otherwise, I'm sorry. But, hey, at least you got a nice surprise."

"A nice surprise!" Enjolras scowled. "I was so... distraught yesterday!"

"I know." Grantaire walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. That was shitty of me."

Enjolras sighed.

"Hey." Grantaire tapped his nose. "You know I would never leave you when you need me if it wasn't just as important, right?"

Enjolras smiled and kissed his fingertip. "I know." He grinned and held the puppy close.

"By the way." Grantaire scooped her papers off the end table. "Her name is Artemis."

Enjolras scowled. "Well, too bad. I'm not calling her anything but Choupinette. Consider it payback."

Grantaire nodded. "Okay, payback it is. Aside from the whole not telling you part, did I do good?"

Enjolras smiled, stroking Choupinette's head. "You did great." He leaned up for a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> ~~adoptdon'tshopadoptdon'tshopadoptdon'tshop~~
> 
>  
> 
> Btw, if you can adopt older pets or disabled pets, please do. The poor dears end up sitting there forever. In this case though, I felt a puppy was appropriate because a) very young puppies who shouldn't have been separated from their mothers also have special needs (btw, don't take super young puppies outside if they haven't had all their shots, this is a work of fiction) and also b) I just really wanted super-tall!Enjolras giving rousing speeches while holding a puppy barely the size of his palm.


End file.
